As of this publication date, filing for non-partisan races in Albany and Clinton County had officially past. That deadline, however, was Tuesday, August 14 at 4 p.m. (too late for press deadline.)

As of noon Saturday, August 11–just two working days prior to the aforementioned deadline, filing had picked up considerably, all among persons seeking one of six seats that make up the Albany City Council.

Some five additional candidates had tossed their hats into the ring for council member since the prior Saturday, including three incumbents and two former council members.

Those who filed between noon August 4 and August 11 included incumbent council members Mary Faye Stockton, Frankie Stockton and James “Smitty” Smith. Two former council members, Raymond Shelton, who was also a former Albany Police Chief, and James Bray, who was also a candidate for mayor two years ago, have also filed.

All six incumbent council members have now filed for re-election and with the two former councilmen in the running, eight people had filed for seats through this past Saturday.

The school board races, however, was a different story.

As of noon Saturday, the only candidates who had filed were the three incumbents in Districts Two (Seventy Six and Cave Springs), Three (Highway, Illwill and Speck) and Four (North, East and West Albany.)

A total of 11 local candidates were seeking seats two days prior to the filing deadline, with nine of those being current office holders.

(A complete, final listing of candidates who will appear on local ballots for city council and seats on the board of education, as well as those who filed for Soil Conservation District positions, will be published in next week’s edition of the Clinton County News.)